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1
Blend all ingredients in bowl.
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2
Season butter with salt and pepper.
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3
(Can be prepared 2 days ahead.
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4
Cover and refrigerate.)
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5
Place clams and cornmeal (to help purge clams of sand) in very large bowl or pot; fill with enough cold salted water to cover clams.
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6
Set aside at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
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7
Place 12-inch square of cheesecloth on work surface.
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8
Place celery, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns in center.
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9
Roll up and tie with string.
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10
Place bouquet garni in large (at least 18-quart) pot.
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11
Half-fill pot with cold water and bring to boil over high heat.
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12
Add 1 lobster headfirst; cover pot.
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13
Boil until lobster is almost cooked through and shell turns bright red, about 8 minutes.
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14
Using tongs, transfer lobster to bowl.
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15
Repeat with remaining lobsters.
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16
Add potatoes and onions to pot.
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17
Ladle off cooking liquid into large bowl, leaving enough to cover vegetables; reserve liquid in bowl.
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18
Bring liquid in pot to boil.
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19
Cover; cook potatoes and onions 10 minutes.
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20
Layer sausages and corn atop vegetables.
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21
Cover; cook until potatoes are just tender, about 10 minutes.
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22
Rinse clams thoroughly.
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23
Arrange clams atop corn and sausages.
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24
Place lobsters atop clams.
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25
Cover pot tightly with lid or, if necessary, cover tightly with overlapping large sheets of foil.
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26
Boil until clams open, about 12 minutes.
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27
Remove from heat.
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28
Transfer lobsters to work surface, shell side down.
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29
Place tip of large knife in center of 1 lobster.
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30
Cut lobster lengthwise in half from center to end of head (knife might not cut through shell), then cut lobster in half from center to end of tail.
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31
If necessary, use kitchen shears to cut through shell.
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32
Repeat with remaining lobsters.
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33
Mound clams (discarding any that did not open), lobsters and sausages on large platter; reserve cooking broth in pot.
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34
Surround seafood with corn, potatoes and, if desired, onions.
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35
Sprinkle vegetables with salt and pepper.
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36
Sprinkle with parsley; garnish with lemon wedges.
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37
Cover with foil to keep warm.
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38
Melt seasoned butter in saucepan; divide among 6 ramekins.
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39
Discard bouquet garni from pot.
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40
Taste broth; season with pepper.
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41
Add some of reserved lobster cooking liquid if broth is too salty.
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42
Bring broth to boil; divide among 6 soup cups.
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43
Serve seasoned butter and broth alongside vegetables, sausages, and seafood.
